Hettie’s eyes opened. She was in her bedroom. Pain throbbed through her whole body, and her head felt as if it were stuffed with cotton. She sat up slowly, trying to recall what had happened. She had a vague impression of a big space with…shelves? Like a library, maybe. Her dreams of late had been strange…
Diablo popped into her grip and ticked.
She stared at it, heart hammering. The mage gun was the only thing that felt real and clear to her, and now she knew it was trying to tell her…
“Something’s not right.” The croaked words came out with more certainty than she felt.
She got stiffly out of bed. She was wearing a nightgown. How long had she been asleep? She thought back but couldn’t remember getting dressed, what her last meal was…nothing.
She stood. The floor wobbled beneath her,
